
Nollywood actress Bolaji Ogunmola has pushed back strongly against online critics who questioned her professionalism over kissing scenes in her latest film, The Bloom After, saying the backlash has made her consider stepping away from social media.
The controversy began after a user on X (formerly Twitter), with the handle I hate lies, criticised Ogunmola’s on-screen chemistry with co-star Daniel Etim Effiong, suggesting the scenes were excessive and hinting at possible off-screen involvement. The user referenced actor Yul Edochie’s real-life relationship with Judy Austin as a cautionary example and urged Ogunmola to “tone it down.”
The comment triggered a sharp response from the actress, who said the criticism reduced her entire performance to one aspect of the film and crossed professional boundaries.

In a heated post, Ogunmola defended her work and rejected the idea that on-screen intimacy equates to personal relationships, insisting that acting remains strictly professional.
“You are an absolute retard!!” she wrote in the now-viral response. “You watched to tweet stupidity, and it shows. What is the entire film about, you nitwit!! You want to reduce my entire work to kissing?”
She further clarified that she and her co-star have no personal relationship beyond work, adding, “What foolish item? We don’t even talk outside of work! You think because you lack boundaries and have no respect for yourself, everyone acts and carries themselves like that.”
Ogunmola also linked such reactions to broader problems in online discourse, arguing that many social media users project personal insecurities onto public figures.
“Your opinion about things is a direct representation of who you are and what you stand for,” she said. “Things I have learned: so many people aren’t professionals, and people lack strong boundaries.”
Beyond addressing the criticism, Ogunmola urged viewers to focus on the deeper themes of The Bloom After, describing it as a story about self-discovery, resilience, and emotional growth rather than just romance.
“The Bloom After isn’t just another romance film. It’s about a woman finding herself after giving everything to a cause she believed in,” she wrote, encouraging fans to share the film and engage more meaningfully with its message.

However, the actress admitted the repeated scrutiny has taken a toll and hinted at stepping back from social media altogether. In a follow-up post, she suggested hiring a social media manager and limiting her own online presence to protect her mental space and career focus.
“It’s like I’ll get a social media manager and just stop using these apps,” she wrote. “So I can focus on what really matters — the work!!! All these opinions and comments… we are human beings as well.”
Her comments have since sparked wider debate online about celebrity boundaries, fan entitlement and the pressures faced by actors whose professional performances are frequently conflated with their private lives.
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